Throw-out mechanism



E. E. WINKLEY.-

THROW-OUT MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-10, 19H. 1 ,334,4 78 Patented Mar. 23,1920.

9 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E. E. WINKLEY.

THROW-OUT MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1917.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

fnventaf W 5 E. E. WINKLEY.

THROW-OUT MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-10.1917. 1,33%4'73 Patented Mar, 23, 1920.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 4. 24

my Maw? I W I '7 y w /fiz fidwwmwg' E. EQW lNKLEY.

. THROW-OUT MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, I917 Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

E. E. WINKLEY.

THROW-OUT MECHANISM.

7 APPLICATION FILED Aug-10, 1917- ggqgy g, Patented Mar.23,1920.

9 SHEETS-SHEEY I.

E. E. WINKLEY. THROW-OUT MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJD. I917.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

Jizventor E. E. WINKLEY.

THROWJJUT MECHANISM.

APPLICATHJN FlLED AUG- H), 1917.

1,334,478, Patented Min. 23, 1920.,

9 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

ERASTUS E. NIHKLEY, OLE LYNN, MASQQACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, ASSIGIW MEN'IS, To outrun snot: MAGRINER'Y conroaarron, or rarnnson, NEW

JERSEY, A coiaronarroiv or I IEWJERSETZ'.

THEOlKT-OUT MECHANISNL Application filed August 10, 1817.

To all HI/LON! it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enusrns E. WInutty, a citizen of the UuitedStates, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of lli'assachusetts, have invented certain new and useful ,llmproyeinents in Throw-Out Mechanism; and I ilo hereby declare the following to be tulhclear, and enact description oi? the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the, art to Whichit apper' tains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mechanism by which a machine, nori'nally operating upon a constant succession of articlesor portions oi? material, hereinafter called blanks for simplicity, may be rendered inoperative in case of an interruption in the regular pas sage or succession ofthe blanks to and through the, machine.

One, object of: the invention is to interrupt the el'lfective operation of the machine in case any blank fed into the machinebecomes diverted from or arrested in its normal path oil movement through the machine. Since the normal functioning of machines to which the invention is applicable involves the regulardischarge, from the operating instrumentalit' is, of successive fiHlSllGCl blanks, the object just stated is accomplished by providing automatic means which detect a hiatus in the successionot blanks so discljiarpgcd and thereupon, interrupts the e:li'ec tive operation of the machine. Such inlTClTllptlOIl may be either partial or complete,

F but the latter is preferable, since it minimizes the danger of lujuryto the machine by clogging.

ll hile a hiatus in the succession o'l? finished blanks discharged by the ,machine may be due to diversion of one or more blanks Within the machine, it may also be due merely to a correspoirding hiatus in the supply oft blanks to the machine, and in the latter case, the effective operation. of the, machine is interrupted although it is usually preferable not to interrupt the operation of the machine completely, nor even partially except during the continuance of the hiatus. A. further object of the invention, accordingly, is to produce a throw-out mechanism which will distinguish between the two possible causes of the hiatus in question, and act accordingly.

Specification of Letters Patent.

, Patented Mar. 23,1920.

Serial No. 155,5?30.

To the end last mentioned the mechanism of the present invention comprises means which detect the entrance of eachblank into the machine, as Well as the discharge of the corresponding finished blank, and the mechanism acts automatically to completely in terrupt the operation of the machine only it and when blanks which. have entered the machine tail to reappear at thepnoper time in a finished state.

Another object of the invention is to interruptthe effective operation the niachine upcnthc occurrence oi? a hiatus in the succession of blanks fed to ,it, but to cause the operation to be resumed at once upon the resumption of the supply of material.

To the end last mentioncchthe mechanism of the present invention is provided ivith means which indicate or register not only the occurrence of such hiatus, but also the extent thereof, and the mechanism acts automatically to modify the operation of: the

machine during only thenumber of cycles of operation corresponding to the length oi. the hiatus. i

In providing a machine With means for detecting aninterruption in the supply of material thereto and for thereupon interrupting the effective operation of themachine, it is not alvvays practicable or convenient to locatethe detecting means immediately or closely adjacent the operating instruinentalities of the machine, and consequently, it the operation otthe machine be atonce rendered inoperative upon the detection of an interruption in. the supply cl? blanks, there may remainin the machine a blank which has been operated upon only partially or not at all. Furthermore, ifthe mechanism be arranged not only to interrupt the effective operation of the machine, but also to restore it upon a resumption of the supply of blanks, it is necessary that the times of interruptionand resiunption of the operation should coincide, not with the mo. ments of detection, but rather with the moments at which, in the regular progress of the material through the machinm the be ginning and end of the hiatus in the supply of blanks are encountered by the operative instrumentalities of the machine.

, For the foregoing reasons, another object of the invention is to produce mechanism the, other remains in the machine.

whichwill detect a hiatus in the supply of blanks at a point more or less remote from the operative instrumentalities of the machine, but which will effectively interrupt and restore the operation of such instrumentalities during or just preceding the cycle or cycles of operation corresponding to the position of such hiatus in the regular progression of the blanks'through the machine.

To the end just set forth the mechanism of the present invention comprises, in addition to a feeler or detector for automatically detecting the presence or absence of each.

successive blank supplied to the machine, means for registering temporarily the information so obtained, and means, controlled by the registering means and acting subse quently, at the proper times, to modify and restore the operation of the machine.

In the operation of the machine upon a blank it sometimes happens that the blank is accidentally separated or broken into two parts, of which one may be dischargedwhile In such a case, if the supply of blanks be continued injury may result to the machine or the blanks. Accordingly, another object of the invention is to provide mechanism which "will detect such an occurrence and will in- 'terrupt the effective operation of the machine accordingly in some manner'to avoid such inj my. 7

To the foregoing end the invention comprises means, in the nature of a feeler, arranged to enter the space between or adjacent the operating instrumentalities of the machine after each operation thereof, to detect the presence of any material which should have been previously discharged, and such means is arranged to control the throwout mechanism in such a manner as to interrupt the operation of the machine. The chief necessity in such a case is to interrupt the operation of the feed-mechanism, but in the preferred embodiment of the invention the movement of the operating instrumentalities of the machine is also interrupted so as to preventrecurrent action upon such material and to afford an opportunity for its removal by the attendant of the machine.

In itsbroader aspects the invention is applicable to machines of widely different characters, and particularly to various machines which may constitute parts of 'a series of machines through which a succession of articles are fed automatically for the performance of a series of operations thereon. The invention is illustrated, however, as embodied in the throw-out mechanism, applied to a heel-compressing machine, in which the operating instrumentalities have the form of upper and lower dies, betweenv and by which pressure isapplied to the upper and lower surfaces of a rough heel, and lateralcom pressing members or molds by which pressure is applied to the periphe all surfaces of such a heel. In such machines rugged and heavy power mechanism, including a flywheel, a cross-head, and crunk-mechanisin, is employed to actuate the compressing instrumentalities, and it is diliicult or impossible to stop and start the movement of such mechanism suddenly by reason of the inertia of the component parts and particularly that of the fly-wheel. Another object of the invention, accordingly, is to provide a heelcompressing machine, or any machine having similar characteristics, with throw-out mechanism which will act, upon an interruption in the supply of blanks to the machine, to modify the operation of the machine only to the extent necessary to prevent such injury as might result from the continued normal operation of the machine in the absence of a blank between the compressing instrumentalities, and to effect this result during the continued operation of the heavy mov ing parts of the power mechanism.

To the end last mentioned it is proposed to provide a heel-compressing machine with throw-out mechanism which operates merely to prevent the full movement of the molding instrumentalities to their cooperative position. It has been found that when a hoelcompressor, as usually constructed and adjusted, operates idly the molds, owing to the absence of any material to resist their closing movement, come into such close engagement that there is insufficient clearance between them for the easy entrance of the heelseat die, with the result that the edges of the dies are chipped and injured. By a variation of the path of movement of the side molds they are prevented from coming quite together, and thus the injury in question is avoided without the necessity of arresting the movement of any part of the machine.

From the foregoing considerations those skilled in the art will readily understand that in the event of the detection of a hiatus or interruption in the regular passage or succession of the blanks to and through the machine, or in case portion of a blank adheres to the operating instrumentalities, the ineclr anism functions in such manner as to interrupt the effective operation of the machine. In the specification and claims, this phrase,- interrupt the effective operationis eniployed in a broad sense to signify any intcrruption of the effective or normal operation of the machine upon the work, whether .it be caused by disconnecting the machine as a. whole, from the source of power, or by merely modifying the operation of the inachine. As distinguished from the phrase just defined, modifying the operation is used in a more restricted significance, in the sense of temporarily varying, shifting, ad justing or arresting the normal or effective operative movements of the compressing instrumentalities upon the Work, during the continued operation of the heavy parts of the power mechanism of the machine.

Other objects of the invention, and the various features of construction and operation by which they are attained will be set forth hereinafter in connection with the description of the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

The preferred form in which it is contemplated embodying the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a heel compressing machine showing the application of the mechanism of the present invention thereto; Fig. 2 is a left-hand side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 2; Fig. d is a section, in plan, taken substantially on the plane of the heel co1npressing instrumentalities, showing particularly the various feeler mechanisms which control the operation of the compressing machine; Fig. is a vertical section of the clutch mechanism shown in Fig. 3; F ig. (i is a horizontal section similar to Fig. l, but showing the feeler mechanisms in different positions; Fig. 7 is a right-hand side elevation of the indicator pins and accompanying parts shown in Fig. 3; Figs. 8 and 9 are sections taken on the lines 8-8 and Si s of 3 respectively; 10 is a sec tionul view of the indicator pins and accompanying parts shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through the upper part of the machine; Fig. 12 is an enlarged section, in plan, on the line ].2--1.2 oit'F ill; Fig. 13 is a rear elevation of the upper part of the compressing i'iachine; Fig. l-it is a detail, in rear elevation, of the feeler located adjacent the heel seat die; Fig. 1.5 is a section looking in the direction of the arrows, on the line iii-15 of Fig. 1. L; 16 is a vertical section through the left-hand feeler mounting of Fin". 15; Fig. 1? is a section, in plan, on the line l71? of Fig.2; 15: Fig. 1.8 is a transverse. vertical section through substantially the center, and looking toward the front, of the machine showing the relative positions of the dies when the side dies are prevented from moving into operative position; and Fig. 19 is a detail, in elevation, ofthe right hand side of the cam and connected mechanism for actuating the starting and stopping clutch.

in its preferred. embodiment the mechanism of the invention is illustrated as applied to a heel compressing machine of the tvpe disclosed in Letters Patent of the llnitcd States No. 776.875, granted December 6, 1904.1, to E. A. Tripp. In general this heel compressing machine comprises the usual upper or heel seat die 20 (Fig. 18)

supported on the rigid yoke 21 of the frame of the machine, which cooperates with a top lift die 22 supported on the crosshead 23, the crosshead being guided in its up and down movements during the heel compressig operation by guideways 24E fixed to uprights 25, upon which the yoke 21 is sup ported. 'lhe crosshead is actuated by the usual toggle 26 (Fig. 1), which is driven by a pitn'lan connected with a horizontal crankshaft 27 (Fig. The crankshaft 27 is geared to an intermediate shaft 28, driven by a main drive shaft 30 which carries a heavy flywheel 31 through the inertia of which the molding members are carried smoothly through that portion of their cycle of operation in which their movements are resisted by the heel undergoing compression. The main drive shaft 30 may be driven in any suitable manner, and in the machine illustrated it is shown as geared to a shaft which is provided on its outer end with a sprocket wheel 38 (Fig. 1) driven by a sprocket chain 3 connected with a suitable source of power. Ooiiperating with the heel seat die 20 and the top lift die are two laterally-movable side compressing dies 36 which are slidably mounted on the upper face of the crosshead 23.

The heel compressing machine pro vided with means for feeding to it a succession of heels, and when the heel compressing operation is completed, the compressed heels are discharged from the machine at the same rate at which they are fed to it. The means illustrated in the drawings for automatically feeding the heels to the compressing machine are substantially the same in construction and mode of operation as the automatic heel feeding means disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,213,055.5 granted to the present applicant January 16, 1917. The automatic heel feeding means for conveying the heels 38 to a position. from which. they are transferred to the feed slide of the compressing machine comprises a chain conveyer 33' (Figs. 4. and '11.). of which. each link in the upper stretch of the conveyer supports a heel in inverted position, as shown in Fig. 2. Phe chain conveyor is supported and actuated by s iroclret wheels 41 mounted on a shaft at? journaled in the machine frame. The heels are transferred from the chain conveyor to the compressing machine in regular succession by a transferrer if) (Fig. l}

. which operates in timed relation witli the heel compressing operation. Each heel is inverted during its transfer and placed heel seat up on the feed slide t? (Fig. 1), by which it is moved into position to be compressed by the dies.

The construction and mode of operation of the automatic heel transferring mechanism is fully described in said Patent No.

1,213,052, and only that part thereof which directly affects the operation of the mechanism of the present invention will be here described. The heel grasping jaws 49 are opened and closed by the sliding movements of a rod 51 (Figs. 6 and 11) loosely mounted in bearings 52 and 53 on the. machine frame. l/Vhen the heel grasping jaws are to be closedjupon a heel, the rod 51 is moved forwardly or to the right, viewing Fig. 6, by means of a spring 55, and when the jaws are to he'opened to drop the. heel on the feed slide '47, the rod 51 is positively pressed rearwardly or to the left, viewing Fig. 6, by

7 means of a lever 57 (Fig. 11). The rod 51 is at the limit of its rearward movement during the whole compressing operatlon and remains in this position until thecrosshead 23 approximates the limit of its downward movement, whereupon, the rod 51 is moved by .the spring 55- to its forward position, which is the position .shown in Figs. 4, and 11.

The means for interrupting the effective operation of the heel compressing machine if a heel which is fed into the machine is not discharged therefrom inits regular order, comprises a feeler 59 (Figs. 4 and 11) which when a compressed heel is to be dis- The'rod 60 is provided with. a collar 61 which is mounted for turning movement in a bracket 62 and is held thereby against vertical movement. The bracket 62' is secured to the under side of one of the guide plates for the heel seat die, as best shown in Figs. 14 and 15. The rod is loosely received in the collar 61 and is in key and keyway connection therewith, as shown in Fig. 16, so that the rod may move longitudinally relatively to the collar and so thatthe two may have synchronous turning movements. The rod 60 is pressed downwardly by a long compression spring 64 (Fig. 11) received in a bore, in the yoke 21 of the compressing ma chine. The lower end of the spring 64 takes against a collar 66 secured to the rod 60, and the upper end of the spring 64 takes a'gain'stthe bottom of the bore. f The engagement of the collar 66 with the collar 61 determines the limit of the downward movement of the rod 60. This method of mounting the rod 60 is made necessary by the fact that when the. feeler 59 performs its'compressed heel feeling function, the crosshead 23 i in lowered position. as shown in Fig. 11; and consequently the feeler 59 and the rod 60 must rise with the crosshead 23 when the latter rises for the compressing operation. The rod 60 is turned so as to move thefeeler 59 into the path of movement traversed by the discharged compressed heel, by means of a torsion spring 68 (Fig. 1.1.), one end of which is secured to the yoke 21 and the other end of which is secured to a collar 69 in sliding engagement with the rod 60. A. bracket 70 keeps the collar 69 and the torsion spring 68 in operative position. In order that the torsion spring (58 may turn the rod 60, the collar 69 is provided with a key 71 which is received in a keyway in 'the rod 60 (Fig. 12).

hen the compressed heel is discharged from the compressor, it is pushed past the feeler 59, engaging its free end, and thereby causes the rod 60 to be turned against the action of the torsion. springs 68. This turning movement of the rod 60 prevents the compressor stopping devices from being set in operation. When a compressed heel fails to be discharged from the compressor, that is to say, when a compressed heel fails to he moved into engagement with the feeler 59, the letter remains in its operative position, so that the rod 60 is not turned against the action of the spring 68. Thereupon the compressor stopping devices are set in op eration to immediately stop the machine in order to prevent such damage as might occur from the clogging of the machine. In order that the compressed heel may not he pushed to one side by the feeler 59, by which the same result would ensue as though the heel were absent, a stop '72 (Figs. 4 and 6) is provided which is located oppositely to the feeler 59 and adj u staily secured to the crosshead 23.

The mechanism interposed between the feeler 59 and the compressor stopping de vices and adapted to actuate the latter to stop the compressor when the feeler is not engaged by a discharged heel, comprises a controller arm 74 which projects outwardly from a hub 7 5 (Figs. 1 and 15) mounted to turn freely in a bracket 7 6 in the same manner in which the collar 61 is mounted to turn in the bracket 62. 1V hen a compressed heel is discharged from the machine in regular course, the controller arm 74 is in the positionshown in Fig. 4, and when the controller arm is in this position, which may be termed its inoperative position, the com pressor stopping devices cannot be aci'znated except by the attendant; but, when the controller arm 74 is in the position shown in Fig. 6, which may he termed its operative position, then the train of mechanism be tween the feeler 59 and the compressor stopping devices is automatically set .into operation to effect an actuation of the latter to stop the compressor.

The controller arm 7 1 is moved into and held in inoperative position (Fig. 1) after a compressed heel has been discharged from the dies and has moved into engagement with the feeler 59, by means of a finger '17 pivotally mounted on the collar 61 (Figs. 1.1 and 11 to This finger is pressed toward the feelcr 59 by a spring 78 connecting it with an arm 79 which projects laterally from the collar 61, and, therefore, the finger turns in the same directions in unison with the feeler 59. The finger 77 engages a pin 80 (dotted lines in Fig. depending from the end of an arm 81 projecting from the hub 75, and therefore in fixed relation with the controller arm 74-. The controller arm is moved into and held in operative position, when the feeler 59 is not engaged by a discharged heel, by a finger 82 (Figs. 4t and 6) projecting from the collar 61. This finger 82 engages the pin on the side opposite to that on which the finger 77 engages it. The arrangement is such that the finger 77 tends to turn the controller arm 74 into inoperative position, while on the other hand the finger 82 tends to turn the controller arm into operative position.

At this point it should be noted that when the heel slide 17, which carries the heel jaws t8 between which the heel jaws a9 deposit the heel and by which the heel is placed over the lower die 22, has been moved rearwardly so that the jaws 18 may place the uncompressed heel over the lower die, the ends of the jaws 18 push the compressed heel resting on the lowerdie into engagement with the feeler 59. Then when the jaws 4:8 are opened to free the uncompressed heel just placed over the lower die, the end of the jaw 50 contacts with the feeler 59 and moves it out of engagement with the dis-- charged heel so that it may be free to fall into the usual chute which conveys it into its receptacle. The return of the slide 17 to its heel receiving position disengages the jaw 50 from the feeler so that the latter again swings into its operative position, the discharged heel having in the meantime fallen into the chute.

in the outer or free end of the arm 74L is i a boss 83 (Figs. 6 and 11) which is adapted to cobperate. when the arm 7% is held in operative position, with a corresponding boss 84.: depending from the outer end of one MIll 85 of a bellrranlr lever 86 pivoted on a vertical pin 87 in an eye onthe forward end of a horirenital rod 88 mounted for sliding movements in the bearing 53 (Fig. 11) and in a. hearing 89. The outer end of the other arm 91 of the bell-crank lever carries a pin which is received in a slot formed in the outer end of an arm 93 projecting laterally from the rear end of the rod 51. This connection between the rod 88 and the rod 51 is such that the former is not moved by the latter, except when the controller arm 7 1 ,is held in its operative position. The rod 88 is normally held at the limit of its rearward movement, as shown in Fig. 4t. Bearing in mind that until the compressing operation has been completed and the crosshead 23 approximates the limit of its downward movement the rod 51 is also held in its rearward position, it is apparent that when the rod 51 is moved forward while the controller arm 7% is in. inoperative position, the forward movement of the rod 51 will not impart a sliding movement to the rod 88 but will merely turn the lever 86 on its pivot, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the boss 84 at this time swinging freely past the boss 83. But when the controller arm 74k is held in operative position, as shown in Fig. 0, at the time the rod 51 is moved forward, the boss 8 .1 on the arm 85 of the lever 86 by coming into contact with the boss 83 of the controller arm, as the forward movement of the rod 51 attempts to turn the lever 86, prevents the lever 86 from turning on its pivot, and thereupon the rod 88 is carried forward synchronously with the rod 51 to actuate the compressor stopping devices.

The rod 88 is provided with a boss 95, from which depends a pin which is received in a slot 97 in the, outer end of an arm 98 ofa lever 100 pivoted at 102 on the frame of the machine. The lever 100 is provided with a segmental gear 104; which meshes with a corresponding segmental gear 100 formed on a lever 108 pivoted at 109 (Fig. 13) on the machine frame. The outer end of an arm 11.0 of the lever 108 is pivotally connected with a vertically disposed rod 112, the lower end of which is loosely received in a boss 114 (Fig. 3) of a lever 116. The lower end of the rod 112 is provided with a spring 117. This connection between the rod 112 and the lever 110 is such that the lever 116 is positively actuated downwardly by the rod 112 through the collar 113 fixed on the rod 112 and engaging the upper end of the-boss 114;, and yieldingly actuated upwardly by the spring 117. The upward movement of the lever 116 is limited by a stop pin 118. On its outer end the lever 116 carries a wedge-shaped block 120 (best shown in. Fig. 10) which is adapted, when the stopping devices are to be actuated, to be moved in the path of movement of the lower end 1339. of a lever 12-1 pivoted at 12 onthe lower end of an arm 1% (Figs. 3 and 10) secured to a shaft 128 journaled in the machine frame. The lever 124 carries a roll 130 which adapted to be engaged by 1118021111 projections 132 integral with a hub 133 secured to the shaft During normal operation of the compressmaehine when. the heels are regularly fed in unbroken succession to the machine the compressed heels are regularly dis charged therefrom, the engagement of the cam projections 132 with the roll 130 oscilhates the lever 124 inoperatively without moving the arm 126, because at this time the wedge 120 is not in the'path of movement of the end 122 of the lever 124. But when the feeler 59 indicates that a heel is absent from the point of discharge, then the wedge 120 is moved into the path of movement of the end 122 of the lever 124, and thereupon the engagement the roll 13t) by the cam projections 132 causes the arm 126 to be oscillated, thereby turning the shaft 128. p

On the shaft 128 is fixed a clutch half 134 (Figs. 3 and 5) provided with teeth which are adapted to be engaged by corresponding teeth on a second clutch half 136 slidingly mounted on a bushing 138 loosely mounted on the shaft 128. The sliding clutch half 136 is prevented from turning movements 011 the bushing 138 by a key 139. Fixed on the bushing 138 beside the clutch half 136 is a hub 140 provided with an upwardly extending arm 142 pivotally connected with a rod 143, which is connected at its outer end with the starting and stopping clutch, generally indicated by the reference character 145' (Fig. 1). This starting and stopping clutch 145 may be of any usual or preferred construction. Rising from the clutch half 134 is an arm 146, to the upper end of-which is connected a spring 147 which.

tends to hold the shaft 128 in normal position. The teeth on the fixed clutch half 134 are so arranged that when the shaft 128 I is in normal position, they may be operatively engaged by the teeth onthe sliding clutch half 136. It will be observed that the construction of the connections between the clutch halves and'the shaft 128 is such that unless the sliding clutch half 136 is in engagement with the fixed clutch half 134, an actuation of the shaft 128 is not com inunicated to the starting and stopping clutch 145. But, as will hereinafter appear, whenever a heel is fed intoithe compressing machine and is absent from the point of di charge when it ought to be there, ing clutch half 136 is always in engagement with the fixed clutch half 134 so that the starting and stopping clutch may be 'actuated.

It will now be clear that'when the rod 88 is moved forward with the rod 51, the lever 100 is moved in a clockwise direction (viewing Fig. 6), thereby turning the lever 108 in a contra-clockwise direction (viewing Fig. 13) so as to lift the rod 112. The upward movement of the rod 112 turns the lever 116 to bring thewedge 120 into the path ofmovement of the lowcrend 122 of the lever 124, with the result that the shaft 128 is moved in a clockwise direction (viewand the starting and. stopping 7 1n the present instance, by shifting or the slidclutch 145 thereby actuated to disconnect the compressing machine from its source of power. The weight of the rod 112 and the mounting of the lever 116 are such that they tend to hold the rod 88 to the limit of its rearward movement, as shown in Fig. 4.

The operation of the mechanism of the present invention has thus far been considered in its effect upon the operation of the heel compressing machine when a heel has been fed into the machine, has been acted upon by the compressing instrumentalitics. and has thereafter failed to be discharged from the machine. It has been found that in thisevent the compressing machine is rendered effectively inoperative by being disconnected from its source of power and therefore completely stopped. The means for interrupting the effective operation of the heel compressing machine by temporarily modifying its operation upon the oc" currence of a hiatus in the succession of rough or uncompressed heels fed to the machine, and for restoring the operation oft-ho. machine upon a resumption of the supply of heels, will now be considered. This means does not act to stop the machine, but acts only to prevent the compressing instrumentalities from becoming effectively operative and moving into the positions they assume in compressingaheel. This is accomplished, modifying the path of movement of the side compressing dies 36 during the continued operation of heavy moving parts of the power mechanism. The mechanism for operating the side dies 36 is controlled by the devices for indicating the hiatus in the succession of heels fed to the machine. These devices, which detect the presence or absence of heels on the conveyor; comprise two feelers 150 (Figs. 2, 4 and 6), which are in the form of arms fixed on the upper ends of t\\'o parallel, vertically disposed rock shafts 151 and 152 which turn in hearings on the 111;: chine frame. These feelers, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 6, are arranged to be engaged by each heel upon the conveyor as it approaches the compressing machine. The en- -a ement of the heels with the feelers swings them apart so that the shafts 151 and are thereby rocked, and as they are connected together by segmental gears 154, the feelers always move through equal distances in opposite directions. Accordingly they do not displace the heels laterally upon the con veyer, but'act rather to center them thereon. The feelers 150 are normally held in position to be engaged successively by the heels, by means of a spring 156 connected to an arm 158 extending laterally from the shaft 151;

The presence or absence of the heels upon the eonveyer as detected by the feelers 1.76 is registered by indicator pins 160 carried in the periphery of a disk 162 (Figs; 3 and 9) mounted on a horizontal shaft 164 situated immediately below the shaft 13 and connected therewith by sprocket gears and achain 166, so as to rotate in unison therewith. The indicator pins 160 are slidingly mounted in transverse apertures in the margin of the disk 162 and are engaged by spring-pressed plungers 168, one of which is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7, whereby the pins tend to remain in the positions into which they are moved. The pins are guided in their movements by radial setscrews 169, as shown in Fig. 10. The connections between the indicator pins 160 and the feelers 150, by which the former are caused to reglater the absence or presence of heels on the convcyer, and thereby accordingly aifect the operations of the mechanism for actuating the dies 86, comprise an arm 170 (Fig. 2)) carried by the rod 151. In the outer end of the arm 170 is a hole through which passes loosely a rod 172. The rod 179. carries a collar 173, which engages one side of the arm 170, and a spring 174 which engages the other side of the arm 170, so that the rod 171% is positively moved in one direction and yieldingly moved in the opposite direction. The function of the spring 174, however, merely to take up lost motion. The rod 172 is pivotally connected at 175 with a pin-setting lever 176 (Figs. 7 and 9) pivoted at 177 on the machine frame. On its free end the lever 17 6 is provided with a wedgeshaped cam surface 1 178 which is adapted to be moved into the path of movement of the indicator pins when the feelers 150 have been engaged by a heel. When the pin-settlng lover 176 has been moved into operative po sition to engage an indicator pin 160, by the oscillation of the feelers 150, and the cam surface 17 8 has been engaged by the next succeeding indicator pin, the pin is pushed outwardly from the position held by the right-hand pin in Fig. 10 to the position held by the middle and left-hand pins in Fig. 10. lNhenthe indicator pins have been set by the cam surface 178, they are in position to engage a cam path 180 formed in the arc-shaped upper end of an arm 181 (Figs. 2 and 3) of a lever 1.82 pivoted on the machine it ame. The engagement of the cam path 180 by the indicator pins as set by the cam surface 178, causes the lever 182 to be oscillated so that its upper arm 181 is moved to the right (viewingFio'. 2) and its lower arm 181 is moved to the left. The free end of the arm 18 1'carries inwardly projecting pins 185 which loosely engage a groove 186 formed in the periphery of the sliding clutch half 136. The movementof the arm 18 1 to the left causes the teeth in the sliding clutch half 136 to mesh with the teeth in the fixed clutch half 134:. After the indicator pins 160 pass through the cam path 180, they are reset into their normal position, projecting inwardly from the disk 162,by the part 19% of the arm 181, as shown in Fig. 10.

It will be observed at this point that before the heel. marked 188 (Fig. 2) can be acted upon by the compressing instrumentalities, the compressing machine must perform three complete cycles ofoperation. These cycles correspond to the heel already between the dies, to the heel marked 189, and to the heel between the feelers 150. By reference to the indicator pin-setting mechanism it will be observed that the indicator pin marked 190 (Fig. 2), which corresponds to the heel 188, must move through three successive steps before it enters the cam path 180. Consequently the pin 190 having been set in position to enter the cam path 180 by reason of the engagement of the feelers 150 by the heel 188. the clutch halves 134 and 136 will be meshed at the moment the heel 188 should be discharged from the machine. so that in case the heel 188 does not engage the feeler 59 the train of mechanism controlled thereby for actuating the shaft 128 can be brought into operative connection with and actuate the stopping devices. If now a space on the conveyer, for example that occupied by the heel 188, is vacant, the feelers 150 will remain quiescent and the pin-setting lever 176 will not be moved into the path of movement of the pin 190. which therefore will not be pushed outwardly, that toward the observer (viewing Fig. to enter the cam path 180. As a. result. the spring. 192 connected with the arm 181 will turn the lever 182 to disconnect the clutch halves 184 and 136. 'lhcrefore. when the fceler 59 remains in operative position be cause of the hiatus in the succession of heels passing through the machine, and conscquently the train of mechanism controlled by the feeler 59 set in operation to actuate the shaft 128, the actuation of the shaft 128 will not be connnunicated to the starting and stepping clutch 145. so that the machine will not be unnecessarily stopped. It is thus seen that the throw-out mechanism of the present invention distinguishes between a hiatus in the succession of discharged heels (38115661 by a compre -ed heel. if 'ng to be discharged. and a hia us in such succession caused by a corresponding hiatus in the succession of heels fed to the machine. in the former case it interrupts the effective opera tion by causing a stoppage of the machine. and in the latter less it merely modifies the effective act-ion of the machine, as will presscntlv appear.

When a hiatus occurs in the succession of heels on the conveyor. the feelers 150 of course remain quiescena and consequently. as before described. the pinsettin; lever 1'76 is not moved into the path of movement of the indicator pins 160. The indicating pin corresponding to the hiatus therefore remains in its normal position, that is to say, in the position held by the right-hand pin in Fig. v10. Then as the disk 162 rotates, the pin which has not been set by the lever 176, and so indicates a hiatus in the succession of the heels, is brought into engagement with an arm 196 of a bell-crank lever 197 (Fig. 2) journaled on the machine frame. This arm 196 is so located, as is clearly shown in Fig. 9, that when the indicator pins are set by the lever 176 into position indicating the presence of heels on the conveyor, the pins do not engage the arm 196. The engagement of the arm'l96 by the pin indicating the hiatus in the succession of heels, oscillates the bellcrank lever 197 and thereby causes a modification in the operation 'of the mechanism 'on the rear end of a shaft 210 journaled in cars 211 on the yoke 21.

On the forward end of the shaft 210 is fixed an arm 212 (Figs. 1 and 18) pivotally connected to one end of a link 21 1, the other end of which is pivoted. at 215 on a plate 216 loosely mounted on a recessed portion'of an eccentric shifting member 218 provided with a squared hole which receives the squared forward end 219 of theeccentric or crank-shaft 220. This shaft'220, which is located at the left-hand side of the machine, viewing Fig. 1, is journaled in the machine frame, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 6, and is provided with eccentric portions or crank pins 222 and 223 which engage'and drive the respective pitmen 225 and 22 1 that are pivotally connected at 226 with the right-hand side die 228, viewing Fig. 18. The parts of the machine as shown in Fig. 18, it will be remembered are viewed from the direction opposite to that from which they are viewed in Fig 1, so

that the eccentric shaft 220, which is shown at the right of Fig. 18, is shown at the left in Fig. 1. The eccentric shifting member 218 is provided with an arcuate slot- 229 which is engaged by a bolt 230 projected through the plate 216 and by which the plate 216 and the eccentricshifting member 218 are secured together. The construction of the above-described parts is such that when it is desired to adjust the compressing position ofthe die 228, the bolt 230 is loosened and the eccentric shifting member is turned relatively to the plate 216 which, of course, is held by the chain of mechanism connected with it in fixed position until the indic-ator pins actuate the lever 197.

The construction and mode of operation of the mechanism for actuating the lefthand intermediate die 232, viewing F ig. 18, are identical with the construction and mode of operation of themechanism for actuating the intermediate die 228. The two sets of mechanisms are operatively connected by means of a link 233, the left-hand end of which, viewing Fig. 1, is pivotally connect ed with an arm 234C projecting from the hub 209. The other end of the link 233 is pivotally connected with an arm 23G fixed on the rear end of a shaft 237, which corresponds to and is mounted in the same manner as the shaft 210. On the forward end of the shaft 237 is fixed an arm 238, the free end of which is pivotally connected with one end of a link 2410, the other end of which is pivoted to a plate 241, which corresponds in construction and function to the plate 216.

The construction and arrangement of the side die actuating mechanism and the parts connected therewith, are such that when an indicator pin is in such position that it indicates the absence of a heel from the conveyer, and therefore moves into engagement with the arm 196 to turn the bellcrank lever 197 in a clockwise direction, viewing Figs. 2 and 3, the link 200 is pulled to the right, the rod 206 is moved upwardly, and consequently the link 283 is moved to the left, viewing Fig. 1, and, therefore, the two eccentric shafts are moved in opposite directions drawing the dies away from each other. The side dies are thus prevented from moving into operative position when the crosshead 23 rises for the compressing operation.

If a hiatus in the succession of heels should continue so that the successive indicator pins would indicate the successive absences of heels on the conveyer, the mechanism for actuating the side dies will be held in such position that their path of movement prevents them from coming into operative position, so long as the hiatus continues. For accomplishing this purpose the lever 197 is provided with a cam path 243 (Figs. 2 and 7) which, when the lever 197 isturned by the engagement of an indicator pin with the arm 196, is moved into the path of movement of the indicator pins when the latter are in such position that they indicate the absence of heels on-the conveyer. The indicator pins, so long as the hiatus continues, successively enter the cam path 213 and thereby hold the actuating mechanism of the side dies in such position that said dies are prevented from coming into operative posiearerstion. It will be observed. from consideration of Figs. 3 and 7 that the upper surface 2 of the arm 196 is substantially a continuation of the lower surface 245 of the cam path 243. The length of these two surfaces 24:} and 245 is such that as one indicator pin is passing out of engagement therewith another is coming into engagr-nnent therewith (as shown in Fig. 3), and so the lever 197 is prevented from returning to its normal position so long as the indicator pins, successively indicate absences of heels upon the conveyer. The lever 197 is returned to normal position by means-oi a spring 24:7 (Fig. 1), one end of which is connected with the link 238 and the other end of which is connected with the yoke 21.

It sometimes happens in the operation of the heel compressing machine that after a heel has been compressed, either the whole heel will remain attached to the heel seat die, or a portion thereof will remain so attached while the remainder of the heel will be discharged from the machine. In this latter event, the feeler 59 will be engaged by the discharged portion of the heel and the move ment of the feeler 59 will, tend to permit the machine to continue in operation. Obvi ously this is not desirable because of the injury likely to ensue either to the next succeeding heel or to the machine itself. The present invention, therefore, supplies means to determine whether a compressed heel or any portion thereof adheresto the heel seat die after the compressing operation, and to interrupt the effective operation of the machine accordingly, in this instance by com pletely stopping the machine. The means for detecting whether a portion of a compressed heel adheres to the heel sea-t die con sists of a feeler 250 (Figs. i, 6 and 14) which is located adjacent the heel seat die and is adapted to be moved thereunder and in contact therewith, after the heel compressing operation. The feeler 250 is pivoted at 251 on an arm 252 (Fig. 14) secured to a rod 25s. The free end of a spring 255, which is fixed to the arm 252, bears against the under side of the feeler 250 and tends to move the free or outer end of the ieeler upwardly. This construction permits the outer end of the feeler to be depressed as the teeler is swept under the heel seat die, and to return upwardly again into normal position when the feeler is moved from beneath the die. The reason why the teeler acts in this manner is because, as will beobserved by an inspection of Figs. 11 andlo, the under surface of the heel seat die curved longitudinally, and its right-hand portion is lower than its left-hand portion, The rod 2:" is slidingly mounted for vertical movements in thehubZS and is in key and keyway connection. with. itso as to turn synchronously therewith. In order that the teeler250 may yield by the; pressure of the crosshead 23 thereagainst, when the cross head rises for the heel compressing operation, the upper end of the rod 25% is encircled by a compression spring 256 which is received in a bore in the yoke 21, as shown in Fig. 11. The lower end of the spring 256 bears against a collar 258 which, coming into contact with the upper end of the hub 7 5, determines the limit of the downward movement of the feeler 250.

The feeler 250 is governed in its movements by the teeler 59 and the parts connected therewith. The connections between the feeler 59 and the feeler 250 are such that it there is a hiatus in the succession of heels discharged from the machine, and consequently the teeler 59 remains in operative position, the feeler 250 is not moved a under the heel seat die, because in that event the compressing machine would be stopped anyway, unless of course the hiatus in the succession of discharged heels corresponded to a hiatus in the succession of heels ted to the machine. But if the feeler 59 is engaged by a discharged heel,. then the feeler 250 is moved under the heel seat die to determine whether any portion of the heel enga'gingthe feeler 59 still adheres to the heel seat die, and if it finds a portion of the heel still adhering to the die, then it will set the controller arm 74 to cause the mechanism governed thereby to effect a stoppage of the machine. This mode oi operation of the teeler 250 will be clear from a consideration of the operation of the parts already described in connection with the operation of the feeler 59.

The arm 81, which carries the pin 80 which is engaged on opposite sides by the fingers 7'7 and 82, being fixed on the hub 75, is of course in fixed relation with the arm 252 carrying the feeler 250, and hearing in mind that the finger 82 turns in. unison with the feeler 59, it will be clear that when the fe-eler 59 is in operative position. and under the tension of its torsion spring 68, the finger 82 will be pressed in a direction to swing the :teeler 250 outwardly from the heel seat die. The teeler 250wi1l remain in this outward or inoperative position so long as the feeler 59 remains in its operative position in thepath of movement traversed by the compressed heels as they are discharged from the machine. But when a discharged heel is moved into engagement with the feeler 59, and thereby turns it against the action of its spring 68, the finger 77 under the influence of the spring'TS acts to swing the feeler 250 under the heel seat die. If now there is no portion of the heel adhering to the heel seat die, the feeler 250 will sweep under the die,

' as'shown in Fig. 4-, and later will be rethe feeler 250 contacts therewith.

turned to its normal outward or inoperative position, when the jaw 50 carried by the heel slide 47 is disengaged from the feeler 59 and the latter is permitted thereby to return'into its operative position under the influence of its spring 68. The swinging of the feeler 250 under the heel seat die permits the controller arm 74, which turns in unison with the feeler 250, to be swung into inoperative position, as shown in Fig. I, with. the result that the boss 88 will not be engaged by the boss 8st carried by the lever 86, and so the rod 88 will not be moved forward; and consequently the stopping devices will not be actuated.

But if any portion of the compressed heel should adhere to the heel seat die, thenthe feeler 250 will be arrested thereby, the spring 78 permitting the finger 77 to remain in the position shown in Fig. 6, which shows the relative positions of the parts when a portion of a heel, indicated at 259, remains attached to the heel seat die and The failure ofthe feeler 250 to swing under the heel seat die results in the controller arm 74 being held in its operative position, as shown in Fig. 6, and consequently the boss 84 of the lever 86 will contact with the boss 83, and' the rod 88 will be moved forwardly, thereby causing the shaft 128 to' be oscillated in a direction to actuate the starting and stopping clutch to disconnect-the compressing machine fromits source of power.

It will now be clear from the foregoing description that whenever there is a hiatus in'the succession of heels discharged from the machine and there is not a corresponding hiatus in the succession of heels fed to the machine, the machine will also be stopped. But, if there is a hiatus in the succession of heels discharged from the machine and there is a corresponding hiatus in the heels fed to the machine, the machine will not be stopped, but its operation will merely be modified. In this latter connection'it is to be noted that, by reason of the fact that the side dies are not permitted to move into their heel compressing positions whenever there is a heelabsent from the compressing position, no injury can result to the edges of the said dies from contact with the heel seatdie; The relative positions of the various dies on the occur- It will be understood, however, that the invention may be embodied in other forms than that shown and described and be applied to other types of machines, without departing from the spirit of the following claims.

What is claimed as new, is

1. In combination With the side, heel-seat and tread-face compressing instrumentalities and the power mechanism of a heel. coinpressor, means for supplying heels thereto, and means responsive to a failure in the supply of heels for modifying the operation of certain of said instrumentalities during a cycle of continued movement of the power mechanism.

2. In combination with the side molds, and the power mechanism including the cross-head of a heel compressor, means for preventing movement of the molds to operative position during the continued movement of the power mechanism.

, 3. In combination with a frame, a crosshead, side molds carried by the cross-head, and links connecting the molds with the frame and operating to reciprocate the molds on the cross-head in consequence of the movements of the latter, throw-out mechanism operative, during continued actuation of the cross-head, to vary the position of the pivotal connections of said links with the frame to prevent travel of the molds to their normal operative position.

4. In combination with a heel compressing machine, including a feed-slide, and means for supplying the feed-slide automatically with heels in succession, throwout mechanism for interrupting the effective operation of the heel compressor upon a failure in the supply of heels.

5. In combination with a heel compressor provided with. a feed slide, and a conveyer for supplying a succession of heels to the feed slide, means operating autmnatically, upon the occurrence of a hiatus in the succession of heels upon the conveyor, to interrupt the eflective operation of the coinpressor after it has acted upon the heels which have previously been supplied to the feed slide.

6. In combination with a heel compressor, and a conveyer for supplying a succession of heels to the compressor, means for transferring heels from the Eonveyer to the con'ipressor, and means operating automatically, upon the occurrence of a hiatus in the succession of heels, to interrupt the effective op eration of the compressor after it has acted upon the heels already in the compressor and delivered by the conveyor to the transferring means.

7 In con'ibination with a. heel compressor and means for supplying a succession of heels to the compressor, means operating automatically, upon the occurrence of a hiatus in the succession of heels, to interrupt the effective operation of-the compressor, and to restore such operation upon the resumption of the supply of heels.

8. In combination with means for supplying successive blanks, and side, and top and bottom compressing instrumentalities for operating upon such blanks, means acting automatically, upon the occurrence of a hiatus in the supply of blanks, to interrupt the effective operation of certain of said in strnmentalities, and to restore such operationupon the resumption of the supply of blanks.

9.1n combinationwith a machine comprising side, heel-seat and tread face dies for compressing successive heels, and means for supplying a succession of heels to the macnlne, means acting automatically to interrupt the effective operation of the side dies upon the occurrence of a hiatus in thesuccession of heels, and to restore the effective operation of said side dies upon the resumption of the supply of heels.

10. The combination, with means for supplying a succession of blanks and instrui'nentalities for operating uponthe blanks so supplied, of a fecler arr. nged to engage the blanks, at a point remote from said instrumentalities, to detect the occurrence of a hiatus in said succession, and delayed throwout mechanism controlled by the feeler and acting automatically to interrupt the effective operation of said instrumentalities, upon the detection of such hiatus, after a period sufficient for operation upon those blanks which have previously passed the teeler but have not been operated upon.

11. The combination, With aheel compressor, of meansfor detecting the presence ofhee]. material between the compressing instrumentalities of the machine after the occurrence of the heel-ejecting operation, and mechanism, controlled by said means, for thereupon interrupting the effective operation of the compressor.

12; The combination, with a heel compressor comprising upper and lower dies and a heel ejecting device, of a feeler, means for moving the feele-r beneath the upper die after each operation of theejecting device, and means, controlled by the feeler, for interrupting the effective operation of the con'ipressor when the movement of the feeler is arrested by engagement with material aduering to the upper die.

13. The combination, witha heel compressor provided with compressing instrumentalities and with means for introducing heels to, and discharging them from, said instrumentalities, ofmeans for supplying heels to the compressor, and means operable automatically upon the failure of the heel discharging means to completely discharge a compressed heel, to interrupt the supplyof heels to the compressor.

14. The combination, with compressing; instrumcntalities for operating upon successive heels, and means for ejecting from said instrumentalities each heel after being compressed, of means operable automatically to prevent the introduction of a fresh 1 heel upon the failure of the ejecting means to operate as aforesaid.

15. The combination, with a machine comprising instrumentalities normally operative upon a succession of blanks, of automatic means movable periodically into position for detecting the retention, in engagement With said instrumentalities, of a blank or portion thereof already operated on, and for preventing the supply ofa fresh blank at such time to said instrumentalities.

16. The combination, with a heel compressor comprising instrumentalities normally operative to compress a succession of heels, of automatic means for detecting the retention, in engagement with said instrumentalities, of a heel or portion thereof already compressed, and for thereupon interrupting effective operation of said instrumentalities.

17. The combination, with a machine comprising instrumentalities operative upon a succession of blanks, and a conveyer for feeding blanks thereto in regular succession and spacedrelation, of automatic means for detecting a hiatus in such succession in ad vance of the point of operation of said instrumentalities, and for interruptingat the proper time the effective operation of the machine upon the occurrence of such hiatus.

18. The combination, with a machine comprising instrumentalities operative upon a succession of blanks, of means for feeding such succession to said instrumentalities, and means operating automatically to in terrupt the operation ofthe machine upon the occurrence of a hiatus in such succession, but only if and when such hiatus has arisen after the passao-e, beyondthe feeding; means, ofthe portion of the succession in which the hiatus is detected.

19. The. combination, with a machine comprising instrumentalities operative upon a succession of blanks, of auton'iatie means for detecting the presence of a blank atone point in the path of movement througl'i the machine and absence of such blank at a subsequent-point in said path, and for interrupting; the effective operation of the ma-- chine in consequence of such presence and absence. 1

20. The combination, with a machine comprising instrumentalities for operating upon -a succession of blanksand for con veying uc-h succession through a prede- 

